Drawn
by wingsonfire
Summary: Tyson is drawn to Kai.


**Summary**: Tyson is drawn to Kai. Tyson/Kai

**Warning**: BL and a really pathetic attempt at romance.

**Author Notes**: This is an AU one shot, set in a boarding school. It was originally meant to be a part of a bigger fic, but I've abandoned _that_ idea due to lack of plot. So if this reads like something without a head or tail, you know why 

**DRAWN**

As the classroom emptied rapidly, Hilary managed to snag Tyson's arm and dragged him off to one side.

"Tyson, I'd like a word with you."

"About what?"

"I heard that you managed to get another detention today."

"Oh, about that… Yeah well…" Tyson grinned sheepishly and tried to prise his arm away. But Hilary just held on more tightly.

"Word has it that you were involved in a _fight_ with a couple of kids. Is that right?"

"Hey, it's not my fault – "

"This is the _third_ detention this week and the _tenth_ since school reopened. What was it this time? Did somebody steal your homework? Or beat up your best buddy? Or wait…did somebody say something about _Kai_ again?"

"Hilary! Just shut up, ok? It's none of your business," Tyson said, getting angry.

Hilary studied him with narrowed eyes. "So, it's Kai again. When will you stop? He's no damsel in distress for you to play the knight in shining armor, you know."

"Will you quit already? You don't know what you're talking about." Tyson made another vain attempt to pull free.

"What is it I don't know? The fact that nine times out of ten Kai's the reason you pick up fights and end up in detentions? Or that…." Her voice trailed away, the expression on her face speculative as she watched Tyson.

"What?" Tyson asked, not liking the look on her face.

"You have a crush on him," she finished quietly, her eyes never leaving his face.

The books fell down from Tyson's hand with a loud clatter. He bent to pick them up.

"What makes you say that?" he asked belligerently, straightening up.

"Well, you're wrong," he said more quietly when she made no move to answer. "He's my friend and I have the right to defend my friends. Don't read more into it."

"Tyson…." Hilary sighed wearily and shook her head. It really was a lost cause. Where Kai was concerned, Tyson had a blind spot. "Don't get into any more trouble, will you? Your workload is piling up."

Tyson gave a small smile. "You make it sound as if I do it on purpose. And speaking of homeworks….do you think you could - "

"No! I am not going to do your homework for you."

Tyson heaved a sigh. "Well, then, I guess I'll just have to ask Kenny to - "

"Tyson! I forbid you to dump your homework on that poor kid. He's got more than enough on his plate already." Hilary gave him a saccharine smile. "Why don't you ask _Kai_?Since he's such a _friend_, I'm sure he'll be more than willing to help you."

Tyson opened his mouth to make a quick retort, then thought better of it. Hilary saw a shuttered look cross his face and felt her heart clench. As he moved towards the door, she reached out to take his hand.

"Tyson, be careful. You are playing with fire."

Tyson shook off her hand and walked out.

8888

"That's the third detention this week, isn't it? What happened, Tyson?" Ray asked later that day, uncannily echoing Hilary.

The group had, with the exception of Max, gathered at their regular spot, a secluded part of the school grounds, bordering the woods. It was where they often met to beyblade. Of course it was to be expected that Ray and the rest of the group would have heard about Tyson's recent fracas.

"The same old story," Kenny piped up, blithely ignoring Tyson's death glare. "Some wise guy made a crack about Mr. Notorious and our hero jumped to his defence. As usual."

"Kai again, huh?" Ray cast a surreptitious glance at the fourth member of their group who was lounging a few feet away. Kai looked far removed from the discussion at hand as he lay there with his eyes closed. But Ray was quick to note the slight tightening of the mouth and the faint frown between his brows.

"You're not doing Kai any favour, you know," Ray continued, looking back at Tyson. "He's used to all this talk. And he is quite able to take care of himself."

Tyson crossed his arms and leant against the trunk of the ancient tree, scowling."So you're suggesting that the next time someone says something, I should just keep quiet. I can't do that, you know."

"You need to control your emotions, Tyson. You wear your heart on your sleeve. People take advantage of you. Kai is a tough cookie, you're not."

"But – " Tyson opened his mouth to argue but another voice cut in.

"Listen, kid, just drop it. I don't care who you fight for or against. Just leave me out of it. It's embarrassing. Get it?"

Tyson turned towards the source of the voice, feeling as if he'd been slapped. Kai still had his eyes closed and looked supremely indifferent. Tyson stared at Kai accusingly for a long moment, then straightened up.

"Right," he said quietly and walked off, leaving Ray to stare after him in consternation.

"That was a bit harsh, Kai."

Kai shrugged. "If that's what it takes to get the message across…"

"Maybe we're being a bit hard on him," Kenny said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Ray asked curiously.

"Tyson…that's the way he is. Friends are very important to him. He puts his life on the line for them. It's not just Kai. The first time I met Tyson, on the train on the way here… I was being attacked by a couple of bullies. Tyson just happened along and jumped right in to my rescue. He...he is like some modern day Don Quixote..….Maybe some people find it annoying. But that's Tyson. I doubt he can change. He cares too much."

"I wish I hadn't said anything," Ray said, feeling somewhat guilty. "He's probably feeling bad that we've all ganged up on him….Where are you off to?" The question was directed at Kai who had risen to his feet.

"This conversation is beginning to bore me," Kai threw over his shoulder and walked away.

The remaining two boys stared after him, Kenny looking annoyed while Ray looked thoughtful.

8888

Kai saw the lone figure sitting by the edge of the lake and smirked. Tyson was so predictable. This was the one place he rushed off to whenever he was upset. It was one of the things he had discovered about Tyson early on. Tyson seemed to be in deep reverie as he gazed across the still surface of the water. Kai remained where he was and observed him for a while before moving to cover the distance between them.

"Are you sulking?"

Tyson started and turned around to look at the looming figure standing a few feet away.

"What do you want?" he demanded, scowling at Kai.

Kai raised an eyebrow quizzically. "You didn't answer me. Are you sulking?"

"What makes you say that? I was just thinking, that's all."

Kai snorted and moved to sit down. "Now that's a change. What were you thinking about?"

Tyson shrugged. "This and that. Some new moves for my Dragoon with which to crush your Dranzer next time."

"That I have got to see," Kai laughed as he lay back on the grass. Crossing his arms behind his head, he looked at Tyson. "You know Dranzer will always overpower Dragoon. You're just begging to be defeated again."

"Hah! And you know I'll never give up trying. One of these days, Kai, I'll get you. Then we'll see who has the last laugh," Tyson retorted, turning his gaze back to the lake.

Kai mentally shook his head and grinned. It was so easy to get a rise out of Tyson. Maybe that was the trouble. His smile dimmed as he remembered the afternoon's incident. He knew he sometimes treated Tyson quite shabbily; yet something about the younger boy drew Kai to him. Maybe it was Tyson's naivete, his enthusiasm and sheer exuberance, his belief in the essential goodness of everyone. Kai often openly jeered at Tyson for that, but somewhere deep inside he envied him that innocence. And even though he jealously guarded his independence and maintained the 'I walk alone because I am Kai' aura, he had to admit, if only to himself, that it felt nice to have someone jumping to his defences once in a while…to have someone care so much…

Ray was his closest friend. But Tyson….he was…something else altogether...

Kai sighed softly and closed his eyes.

_There, he's done it again, _Tyson thought, half in despair, half in self-ridicule. He'd been happily wallowing in self-pity and anger at Kai's high-handed treatment of him. Yet, the moment Kai had turned up, all that anger and hurt had fled away, leaving behind this strange feeling of elation and contentment. Kai always had this effect on him. He could hurt Tyson deeply with a few well-chosen cutting words – in fact, Tyson didn't think anyone else had the same power to hurt him the way Kai did – yet when Kai sought him out like he did now, all those hurts dissolved into nothingness and his heart started to soar. It was very unsettling.

_Do I really have a crush on him? But how could anyone not like him?_

Girls swooned over Kai and Tyson could understand why. Kai was handsome, truly handsome and if Tyson were a girl he too would have swooned at the sight. But it wasn't just the looks. What drew him to Kai was the fire that he sensed in the older boy, that hint of passion, that sense of danger…. There was something about Kai that beckoned him, an inexplicable feeling that in some way he and Kai needed each other. Yet some sense of self-preservation warned him to keep his distance.

_You're playing with fire. _

Was he the only one who felt like this about Kai? Did Kai's other friends feel this way? Did Ray? A streak of emotion shot through him at the thought… part jealousy and part possessiveness. Was this what a crush felt like? This constant yearning… this ache that kept growing day by day…this warmth and the feeling of happiness that his proximity brought…

"Hey, Kai," he said softly, eyes fixed on the horizon, "can I ask you something?" Maybe Kai knew the answers that he sought.

"Hmm…"

"Have you….ever liked someone?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean…is there someone …someone special that you like …differently from others?"

"No."

"If there was someone, would you know?"

What sort of a stupid question was that, Kai thought, mildly puzzled. "Look, kid, if you're having a love-life crisis, go to Ray, He's the expert on such things."

"Right."

Silence reigned again. Tyson stole a glance at the prone figure. Kai looked completely relaxed with his eyes closed, a half smile lingering on his face. Tyson's gaze roved avidly over each feature… that sharp straight nose, the stubborn chin, the high cheekbones and that sensitive mouth … and an odd restlessness came over him. Kai's shirt had come untucked and Tyson stared in fascination at the inch of bare flesh that peeked through. A queasy feeling rose in the pit of his stomach and clogged up his throat as his gaze slid up and rested on the shadowed hollow of the neck where the tie was pulled loose and the collar unbuttoned. The outside sounds were muted now and only his heartbeat sounded in his ears, thundering furiously. A few strands of ash-toned hair fluttered enticingly in the breeze and Tyson moved closer, suddenly overcome by an intense desire to touch. Slowly, hand trembling in anticipation, he reached out and gently touched Kai's face.

Amethyst eyes flew open. Kai found himself staring into deep brown eyes that were too close for comfort. Time stood still. And then warm lips descended over his mouth. There was a moment of blank incomprehension before Kai's instincts kicked in. He pushed Tyson off, drew back his fist and punched him on the nose.

One moment he was kissing Kai and the next moment Tyson found himself flat on his back, nursing a bloodied nose. Kai stood above him, looking shocked and furious, his fist still clenched and ready to deliver the next punch .

"Wh-What are you doing? Just what the heck do you think you're doing?" Kai shouted as shock faded away and anger took over.

Tyson got up slowly, looking as stunned as Kai. "I…I don't know… I'm…I'm sorry."

"That's all you can say? Is this…some kind of a joke?"

Tyson took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. "No...not a joke. Just…a confirmation." He turned to walk off, then stopped a few feet away. Without turning around, he said, "Actually, I lied. I'm not…sorry. But don't worry. It won't happen again." And then he was gone.

Kai stayed where he was, staring at the spot Tyson had stood, a maelstrom of emotion churning within him. Anger, betrayal, shock and….

_Tyson's words…why did they sound like a challenge…and an invitation? Tyson… you idiot! What have you started_?

THE END

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